The Choice
by noodle soup
Summary: Summary: 1shot fic. PJ related. In the last episode, what if Dawson did not break off Joey and Jen’s conversation but instead he stood behind the door listening? R&R.


The Choice 

Summary: 1-shot fic. PJ related. In the last episode, what if Dawson did not break off Joey and Jen's conversation but instead he stood behind the door listening? R&R.

Disclaimer: We do not own Dawson's Creek or any of the characters used in this story. They belong to WB. Don't sue. We are broke. Sorry.

Dawson slowly walked through the familiar corridor, his footsteps echoing. Remembering the time he was here for his father, knowing he had lost him here. He didn't want to lose his friend as well. He continued walking down the hospital corridor and stopped outside Jen's room. He stopped to gather his thoughts for a minute. He had always seen Jen so strong and alive and couldn't bear to see her looking so weak and helpless. He looked down at his video camera realising he was about to film a mother's last words to her daughter.

His train of thoughts was broken when he heard the oh soo familiar voices of Jennifer Lindley and Josephine Potter. He hadn't heard them for a long time and he couldn't believe he may never hear Jen's ever again. He thought about knocking but he didn't want to disturb what could possibly be their last ever conversation. So instead he leant against the door and listened to them.

"Joey, Joey, Joey. What am I going to do with you? You're constantly getting into these situations where you jump in with your heart, and then you have to jump out with your head. Your heart and your head have just been in constant conflict with each other."

"Well, that's because there's nothing else to be conflicted about. I am all out of conflict. I have been for years."

" Well, if you ever want to be reminded of it, you can just watch Dawson's show. What about that girl that they cast as me? Ohh. I've often thought about getting a lawyer and suing his ass."

Dawson laughed at this typical Lindley humour.

" Well, at least you get to have sex. All I do is mope around and pine after Petey, then Colby, then Colby, then Petey"

"Well, you never could make a decision," Jen laughed, slightly amused.

"You know, that's where he got it all wrong. I mean, the eternal triangle, it's based on actual events. It's not about Sam choosing between Colby and Petey. It never was. It's about... Sam making a decision with herself."

"Can we just use the real names here? There's no need to protect the guilty in this room."

"It's just sad that it took a TV show to make me see it."

"What? See what? I'm incredibly interested in all of this!"

"The only decision left is the one that I need to make with myselfto stop running... once and for all. I mean, I know who I'm supposed to be with. I've always known…"

"Really?" Jen looked surprised.

As did Dawson.

"Yeah, but then the fear takes over, the free-floating, anxiety-ridden fear in the pit of my stomach that makes me run. Jen, I am completely comfortable running. I really don't know any other way"

"Maybe I can help," Jen cleared her throat, "What if I demand that you make that decision? No more running. I'm going to make it my dying wish. My death will serve a greater purpose. It's your ultimate motivator…"

"Jen!"

"Hey. Just for the record here, because I feel like I'm a little bit out of the loop on this, who is it that you've always known that you were meant to be with? Is it Colby or is it Petey?"

Joey sighed, "Does it really matter that much to you?"

" Hello?" Jen said exasperatedly. "This has been going on for years. I mean Dawson, Pacey? Pacey, Dawson?"

"I think you are going of the top Jen"

"Really? I don't think so. You three are the ones who made a soap opera out of it," Jen said frustrated. She softened slightly, "You're my friend and I want to see you happy. And the only way you're going to be happy is to follow your heart. So who is it going to be?"

"You really want to know?"

Dawson leaned in closer.

"Yes," Jen said softly.

"You really, really want to know?" Joey said teasingly

"For God's sake woman, if I die this second you'll be sorry you didn't tell me because I promise you, I'll haunt you from the grave to find out who your true love is!"

Joey smiled. "Alright, anything to stop you haunting me," she giggled. "Ok… Ok…"

"Ok…" Replied Jen.

"Ok…" repeated Joey.

"Look girl, I'm not getting any better. And Ok isn't telling me anything!"

Dawson sighed frustrated. He'd waited his whole life for this decision, how much longer did he have to wait?

"Ok, I'll get on with it…" Joey decided.

"Ok," Jen smiled.

"You know, this isn't funny! I'm about to pour out my heart to you and you're smiling!"

Jen giggled, "Well you've made it such a drama, I can't help but to be amused!"

Joey sighed. "Well if this has been a drama, this is the final scene."

Dawson held his breathe.

"No, the final scene will be when you tell the guy you love that you want to spend the rest of your life with him. This scene is The Choice. Go for it."

Joey took in some air and braced herself for the moment of truth. "Dawson has been my best friend since, well, forever. I mean, we've been through so many things together. Maybe to many things. He'll always be in my heart, I mean… He's my best friend."

"Your soul mate," Jen quipped.

"Yeah."

Dawson smiled happily, behind the door.

"But that's just it," Joey said. "A soul mate. A mate." She paused for a second.

Dawson felt his heart break.

"When I look back at my life, Dawson has been there every step of the way. My past is just filled with Dawson. But that's it. With Dawson I have my past, but with Pacey I have my future."

Jen smiled. "Pacey?"

"You know, when I was a kid I always used to find Pacey repulsive and annoying… Urgh! I always thought Dawson would be the one I'd go with…"

"You never know how love is going to hit you…"

Joey nodded, "I always thought love was a surprise… unexpected… And that's what Pacey is. He's my unexpected. And as weird as it sounds… I almost expected him to be my unexpected…"

"Ok, now I'm getting lost in your sea of words…"

"Basically, everyone thought I'd end up with Dawson. It had been mapped out since we were 5… I thought I'd do everything with him… But it was Pacey that I first… you know… well…"

Jen raised an eyebrow, "Yeah?" she encouraged.

Joey was getting uncomfortable. As was Dawson.

"You know…"

"Sex?" Jen replied, smiling with satisfaction.

Joey glared. "Do you want me to continue?"

"Ok ok! Continue…"

Joey smiled. "Well yeah, he was the first person I ever slept with. He was the first person I spent time alone with… Well, 3 months to be exact. He was the first person… I ever loved."

"And the last?" Jen provided.

"Yeah," Joey agreed, smiling. "He's my true love. He's Petey, he's Pacey. I'm his, and he's mine. And that's… really it. That's always been it. Even when we hated each other. That's it."

"You made a dying women happy," Jen told her, with a slight tear in her eye.

Joey smiled, tears building in her eyes too.

"Well what are you standing here for girl? Go get him!"

And with that Joey smiled and hugged Jen. "Thank you…"

Joey headed towards the door and opened it to find Dawson standing there with a wheelchair. " Dawson! Hi!"

"Hi…" he looked up, smiling falsely, "I just came to steal Jen from you…"

"Oh, that's Ok, I was just going… yeah…"

Dawson nodded and watched her go down the corridor. Watching as she walked towards Pacey, and not him.

The End.

Please R and R! You know you want to:o)


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